Wine Connoisseurs Delight promises tasty night for fairgrounds fundraiser

To The Press

“Perfectly paired” appetizers and wine are the promised attraction at a fundraiser to support the Floyd County Fairgrounds, to be held next Friday, Nov. 19.

The proceeds from this year’s Wine Connoisseurs Delight — to be held 7 to 10 p.m. at the Youth Enrichment Center at the fairgrounds — will be used to help build sidewalks to connect the buildings at the fairgrounds.

“We need to have all buildings connected by concrete sidewalks to make the fairgrounds as accessible as possible,” said Dené Lundberg, event manager for the Youth Enrichment Center.

“We want people attending events to be able to move easily between buildings. If they are using a stroller, walker, wheelchair, we want to make it easier for them to enjoy the beautiful grounds we have,” she said.

The group planning the event is working with a wine distributor in pairing the wines, she said.

“We are excited to be working with Darcey Tracey and her new store, Prologue, in choosing the wines and foods to go with them,” Lundberg said.

Preparing the foods will be Lundberg — who taught culinary arts classes and established the Comet Cafe at Charles City High School — along with Tracey and Joe and Lori Nettleton.

“We start with a salad and move through the five pairings including crostini with peach salsa and soup, prawns with a sun-dried tomato dipping sauce, a twist on pizza and marinated beef,” Lundberg said. “The final course will be a chocolate dessert.”

Current and past FFA members will be working as wait staff for the evening, she added.

Providing the background music for the evening will be Ross Clowser, a teaching assistant at the University of Iowa who performs professionally as a member of bands and as a solo artist.

“Ross has developed a unique compositional and improvisational voice inspired by beat production, avant-garde jazz and international music,” Lundberg said.

A live auction will feature wine and dessert baskets donated by the committee.

Tickets are available for $50 each or a table of eight for $500, which includes an extra bottle of wine and assures a group can be seated together, Lundberg said.

“There will be a cash bar for those that are not wine drinkers but want to enjoy great food, good friends and an evening out,” she said.

Tickets are available by messaging floydcountyyec@gmail.com or calling the fair office at 641-228-1300.